Editorial: Scott takes the lead in releasing tax returns

Gov. Rick Scott has a poor record for openness, from releasing skimpy public schedules to hiding behind unfounded security concerns to keep secret the details of past travels on his private jet. Yet the governor deserves credit for going beyond what the law requires by releasing several years of his federal tax returns this week. His likely Democratic opponent in November, former Gov. Charlie Crist, needs to follow through on his promise to do the same.

Scott released income tax returns for 2010, 2011 and 2012. He separately listed assets that include stocks, bonds and mutual funds. The tax returns indicate a spike in income in 2011, the year he sold a network of walk-in urgent care centers. His list of assets does not show interest in an oil services firm that he held when he first created a blind trust in 2011. Those bits of information are important for the public to see in evaluating whether there is any connection between the governor's public policy and his private finances. Now it's up to Crist to release at least as much financial information.